Shane Warne hails Ponting as best man for captaincy
Shane Warne, former Australia leg-spinner, has backed Ricky Ponting to stay on as Australian skipper for the upcoming Ashes series, despite http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s consecutive three Test defeats for the first time in two decades.
Warne feels that Ponting is the best choice to lead the Kangaroos to an Ashes triumph this summer, notwithstanding his criticism upon Ponting's defensive field placements against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 on the final day of the Bangalore Test, last week.
A message posted by furious Warne on a micro-blogging internet site Twitter read:
"How the h**l can hauritz bowl to this field??" Warne tweeted. "Feeling for hauritz , terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky but what are you doing".
The matter, however, was resolved between the two players via SMS chat. Today Warne went a step forward and wrote on his official website that there has never been any kind of rift between him and the Australian captain and that "Never
at any stage did I say or imply that Ricky's time as captain is up".
Another former bowler of Australia, Geoff Lawson, has earlier called for taking the captaincy away from Ponting so he could focus on his individual performance as a veteran batsman.
Lawson has named Ponting’s deputy, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120, as the best candidate for leadership role. The issue has occupied plenty of debate in the media over the past week, with some backing Lawson’s idea while others negating it. Warne
has also become the man that doesn't agree with the idea that Ponting's reign should end.
"Ricky, to me, is the right man to lead Australia for the Ashes," wrote the leg-spin prodigy. He further added that the next month’s Ashes series is going to provide Ponting a great opportunity to prove his leadership and captaincy
skills. Warne hailed Ponting’s current form with the bat.
"This Ashes series is going to be the biggest of his and the Australian team's career. I think Ricky is at his best when he shows his Tassie devil side which is, aggressive with a dash of flair".
Talking about his tweet regarding the fields set for Nathan Hauritz, Warne wrote that it was "staggering, but not surprising" for him that the message was taken as a tiff between he and his former team-mate Ponting.
"My tweet about Ricky's fields for Nathan Hauritz for two overs has been portrayed as a rift between myself and the Australian captain and journos have tried to start a slanging match between us; what rubbish. Commentators on the match,
cricket journalists and even the Indian captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028, have agreed with my tweet. It was an observation, not an attack".
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